Will Smith’s agents clashed over taking him to the suburbs

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If you were the CAA, one of the most powerful talent agencies in the world, and Will Smith, one of your biggest A-list clients, ignited his career by slapping Chris Rock on live TV. While the whole world watched, what would you do? You can look at the history for a start.

WME turned down Mel Gibson as a client in 2010 after Mad Max the star was caught on tape saying the N word during one of his many tides. That agency, led by superspies Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, also dropped claims against clients Brett Ratner and Bryan Singer over allegations of sexual misconduct. CAA denies Megyn Kelly as former Fox News host defends live blackface on NBC; and UTA slashed Bill O’Reilly after it was revealed he had paid $32 million to settle one of many sexual harassment allegations against him.

Last week, CAA leaders Bryan Lourd, Richard Lovett and Kevin Huvane took the hot seat again as the celebrity sports and talent agency struggled with what to do with its own happy star clients .

An internal debate over whether to release the Fresh Prince was raging at the same time about 100 agents and executives arrived at the chichi Terranea resort in Rancho Palos Verdes for the CAA’s first leadership retreat. Since the plague, the Source Material has known.

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Lourd expressed to several of the talk attendees that he believes the CAA, in its acquisition of rival firm ICM (representing Rock, by the way), will remove Smith, according to three people who spoke with he. Meanwhile, Lovett, who represents Smith, is described as “tired” during the layoff from the Oscars, but wants to keep Big Willie on the CAA roster.

The trio wanted to be seen as being on the right side of history, especially as the CAA aligned with Harvey Weinstein, but they ultimately decided to stick with Smith as there seemed to be no doubt – despite him. resigned from the Academy – that his status as a viable movie star would one day return.

A CAA spokesperson told Source Material: “There isn’t any truth to that. It simply never happened.”

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